A number of methods are available for sealing or waterproofing electrical connections either when the electrical connection is being formed or after the electrical connection has been formed. In one type of waterproofing an electrician forms the electrical connection in a viscous sealant located in a twist-on wire connector by twisting the wires in relation to the housing of the twist-on wire connector. In another type the sealant is poured into the connector until the sealant covers the electrical connection therein. In still other types of connectors an epoxy, which is poured into the wire connector, is allowed to cure around the wires in the wire connector.
In the sealant containing wire connectors a waterproof sealant, which is located in a central cavity of the twist-on wire connector, provides a waterproof covering over the electrical junction between a set of bared wire ends located therein. In twist-on wire connectors the wires are typically inserted through a pierceable cover and into a viscous sealant contained in a wire cavity of the twist-on wire connector. The housing is then twisted with respect to the wires to bring the bared ends of the wires into electrical contact with each other in the presence of the sealant, which forms a sealant air interface on the wire end of the connector to shield the electrical connection from the environment. In some twist-on wire connector sleeves are placed on the twist-on wire connector to contain extra sealant. In other embodiments the twist-on wire connector includes clips for looping the wires thereon to prevent the wires from pulling out of the twist-on wire connector. Examples of electrical twist-on wire connectors where the electrical connection is formed in the presence of the viscous sealant can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,113,037; 5,023,402 and 5,151,239.
Another example of a sealant containing wire connector is shown in King U.S. Pat. No. 8,431,824 for a direct bury splice kit where a twist-on wire connector is formed as an integral part of an elongated tube with the tube containing a viscous sealant to enable the formation of a sealant covered wire connection in one continuous action.
In another example an electrical connection is formed in an electrical connector, which is free of sealant. Once an electrical connection is formed the electrical connector is immersed into a sealant, which is contained in a tube or the like. This type of connector and method is shown in Fox U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,473 and King et al U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,170,005; 7,763,801 and 8,431,824. In both the Fox patent and the King patents the electrical connection is formed in a twist-on wire connector that is free of any sealant. After the electrical connection is formed the twist-on wire connector is immersed into a body of sealant to form a waterproof covering over the wire connector, which contains the electrical connection.
In still other methods the wires are secured within a wire connector through a sealant that hardens such as an epoxy. This type of securement of an electrical junction is shown in Spiteri U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,066 where a two-part epoxy within the wire connector is mixed within the wire connector and then allowed to set around the wires to lock the wires in place.
While the above methods may provide effective protection including waterproofing there are times when the above methods and sealants may not adequately protect the electrical connection since the configuration of the electrical wire connection may prevent the sealant from covering the electrical wire connection because the sealant viscosity and gravitational forces acting on the sealant are insufficient to bring the sealant into a sealing condition around the electrical wires, which can result in electrical failure.